Compare towns
Ware vs Heath vs Petersham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Petersham has the most expensive homes ($392k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ware | Heath | Petersham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
765Lowest |
1,185 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
56.3±2.7Highest 41% above MA |
| Petersham and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
12.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
30.5%±4.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$110,750±$20kHighest 7% above MA |
| Petersham and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
$392,400±$20kHighest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
— | $1,679±$441Highest 5% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$4,636Highest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
94.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 20% above MA |
39 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Petersham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Ware | — | Petersham |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.